Variable ratio transmission



June 17, 1952 J. G. A. M. J. MEYER 2,600,562

VARIABLE RATIO TRANSMISSION Filed May 8, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 q/QbMbf/"L' 1.

June 17, 1952 J. G. A. M. J. MEYER 2,600,562

VARIABLE RATIO TRANSMISSION Filed May 8, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 17, 1952 J J MEYER 2,600,562

VARIABLE RATIO TRANSMISSION Filed May 8, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JQ/L VJ/Vg {MFA W fiffog eys Patented June 17, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT 2,600,562

VARIABLE RATIO TRANSMISSION J ean Gustave Antoine Marie Joseph Meyer, Neuillyr-sur-Seine, France, assig'iior to S; A, M. societe jny e p rwtoiisArna lllas Mecaniques', La Courneuve, France Application May .8, 1945, serial No. 5921630 In France November 5, 1942 Section 1, Public Law 690, Aiigustfi 1946 Patent expires November 1962 2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a variable ratio transmission comprising a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a series of at leastten pinions fixed to said driving shaft, said pinions having teeth in arith! metical progression, the largest pinion of said series having a number of teeth less than nine times the number of teeth of the smallestpinion, a plurality of idling pinio'ns each engaging sue.- cessively a pinion of said. series, a plurality of differential mechanisms equal in number to said idling pinions, a constant ratio first transmission located between said first mentioned series of pinions and one of said differential mechanisms, each of said differential mechanisms comprising a first element driven either by the constant ratio first transmission or by the disengaging element of another difieiientiai mechanism, a second element for disengaging purposes driving either the first element of another difierential mechanism or the driven shaft, and a third element driven by its correspondingidling pinion through the in termediary transmissions of .difierent and variableratios controlled by said idling pinions.

An object of the present invention islto proe' vide such a transmissionwithout any mechanical lications .ior rat os expressed y a i having severalfigures or digits.

With the above and other objects in view which will become apparent from the detailed description below the invention is shown in the drawings in which:

Fig; 1 is a diagrammatic vie-W iihistrati'ng the principIe of the inventions Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view showing a detailcof the invention,

Fig. 3 isa perspectiveyiew showing another detail of the invention, and

Fig. s is a plan View of an apparatus embodying the invention.

The theoretical principles underlying the pres ent invention will first be discussed.

The ratio R to be transmitted 92m be written:

i +I0 .I 1L1, 1L2 u being number of units, each one comprising a sliding" gear, the ratio of w ch is ven y R.

naccordance with-thei rentiontheretranst d :by ne o the partial tr nsmiss ons not the ratiour but theratio w-i- U1 inwhich Ur is a number arbitrarily chosen, by another partial transmission, not the ratio (01. ri -cs1 p ndin o was a 1 but the ratio If the ratios of the partial transmis ions variable ratio added to the ratio or nsmission with constant rati there is obta ned? nd b simp ifi a ion:

that is the ratio R to be transmitted.

In Fig. 1 themovement of thezdriving" shaft a is transmitted tothe driven shaft 1)" through the" reduction gearing I, 2, 3, 4 through n+1- partial transmissions. One of these transmissions driven by the shaft or of the conical cluster of gears c} is constituted by the system-of ge'ars" .ltox4 and actuatesthe sun-wheel .1 of "the" first difiereritial 1, 1B, 111, The reduction gearing' -is' or constant rati The other partial transmissions, .to' the nil-m beraof 1c, .areall the same: Four trans-missions only have beenshown. TheyalthLVe a cluster gear a fixed to shaft :1 andactuated by theldr'i'v; ingshaft a; In each of thesetransmissionsthe sliding sears H, 2i, pr, m, drive the ears I 2 2:2r p2,- m, and; through the intermediary or transmissions-of suitable-ratios 12 to 14, 22- 120 24; 172 to .124 "to m, the; rings 1:5, 25, p5, .115 loosely inoi'rnted on the shaft anandhaving planetgears I6, 2B Z76 n6; belonging to vdiii'erent differentials. It may {he-remarked that i the first differential 7', t6; H, the outlet sun-ewheel has added the movement transmitted through the transmission I to 4 and the double of the movement transmitted by the sliding gear H. In the differential ll, 26, Z'L-the outlet sun-wheel 21 has added the movement of the sun-wheel I? and the double of the movement transmitted by the sliding gear 2|. Therefore, upon the whole, the outlet sunwheel 2'! adds the movement transmitted through the transmission I to 4 and the double of the movements transmitted through the gears H and 2i. In a general way, the movement of the sun-wheel P7 of the p differential, represents the sum of the transmission l to d and of the double of the partial transmissions controlled through the p sliding gears II, 2| 121. At last the outlet sun-wheel m of the last differential positively bound to the driven shaft 1), represents the sum of the movement transmitted through the transmission 1 to 4 and of the double of the transmissions corresponding to the n sliding gears H, 2|, p1 m.

If there is to be transmitted, the ratio R of the following formula:

presses the ratio to be transmitted and to bypass the transmission l to 4.

In that case it will be necessary that the sliding gear II should find in the cluster of gears 0, several gears whose numbers of teeth are to each other as the number obtained from the foregoing formula for the ratio R. In the same way, the sliding gear 2| must be able to engage with several of the gears of the cluster 0 whose number of teeth are to each other as the number taken from the foregoing formula for the ratio R. It is the samefor the sliding gears 3| ...p1...and'n1.

Therefore it will be necessary to find in the cluster 0 several gears whose numbers of teeth are to each other as 1, 2 and 9, that is to say, in practice, that the diameters of the extreme gears will be to each other at least as l is to 9, since each sliding gear ll p1 n1 must be able to engage with one of the gears of the cluster 0 and consequently since all the gears of the cluster 1 c and the sliding gears H, 21,... p1 .111 must have the same module (that is to say the same spacing ofteeth). The gears of the cluster having a thickness relatively small, the cone which envelopes the cluster 0 will have a very large summit angle, which is not suitable in the kind of transmissions to which the present invention relates. It is. recalled, in fact, as it can be seen on Figures 2 and 3 that the sliding gear 291 is mounted on a shaft pm which is supported by a simple stirrup p13, swinging about the shaft p3 and keeping .engaged the gear p; with the gear pinion p2, slidingly keyed on the shaft 123. The axes p11 and m are parallel to the axis of shaft a of the clusterc. by a simple link and forms a nut on the control shaft pm which is parallel to one of the generatrix of the enveloping surface of the cluster 0. The axis p11 passes through the loop p16 of the part 2012 and a spring 1015 supported at one The part 2112 is constituted I end of the loop p16 and at its other end upon the axis p11 of the gear 121 tends to push the gear 111 against the cluster 0. It is obvious that if the angle between the axes p3 and p14 is too great, the movements given by the rotation of the threaded rod 1214 would have too great an inclination with relation to the movements of the jaw 2013, which is obliged to rotate around p3 and jamming will occur.

The spacing between the axis of the sliding gear and the one of the corresponding gear of the cluster 0 is obtained through the parallelism of the control screw p14 and of a generatrix of the enveloping cone of the cluster 0. The parallelism is modified according to the inclination of the jaw pm, which depends on the inclination of the jaw pm which becomes necessarily important if the angle Of the cone is important.

The movement of p12 forces the sliding gear 01 to a trajectory which in horizontal projection is approximately a sinusoid. The angle that it forms with the plane of the gears of the cluster 0 cannot increase beyond a certain size, otherwise the disengaging of the sliding gear 111 cannot be realized without penetration into the teeth of the other pinions of the cluster 0 except in taking for these a spacing lengthening out the cone in an inadmissible way.

These disadvantages are eliminated by the present invention.

The invention will be further described with reference to an apparatus embodying the invention as shown in Fig. 4.

In the apparatus shown in Figure 4 upon the shaft a are fixedly mounted ten gears having respectively 10, l1,'12 l8 and 19 teeth and forming the cluster c. Upon the shaft a adjacent this cluster there is fixedly mounted another gear I, having 37 teeth and which meshes with a double gear 2, 3, having respectively 10 and 30 teeth and which are mounted loosely upon a shaft parallel to the shaft (1. The gear 3 meshes with a gear 4 having 10 teeth and which is mounted loosely upon the shaft a and is integral with the sun-wheel I of a differential I, l5, H. The ratio of the transmission formed by the gears l to 4 istherefore equal to:

gm-gnarl A first tumbler gear ll, having 10 teeth is capable of meshing with any of the gears of the cluster 0 having from 10 to 19 teeth, and drives a double gear l2, l4, having respectively 10 and 25 teeth, disposed upon the shaft 13. The gear l4, through the intermediary of a double transmitting gear Ml, I42, having respectively 10 and 20 teeth, drives a gear l5 which has ten teeth and is mounted loosely upon the shaft a. The axles of the planet-wheels of the difierential I, I6 and II, are disposed upon the gear 15.

Under these conditions the sun-wheel 1 makes +l1.1 revolutions for every revolution of the shaft a, and the gear 15 makes revolutions about the shaft a. (in being the number of teeth of the ear of the cluster with which the moving gear llengages) Under these conditions the output sun-wheel I! makes:

revolutions for each revolution of shaft a.

A second tumbler gear'zl, having 10 teeth, is capable of being engaged with any of the gears of the cluster 0, having from 10 to 19 teeth, and drives through the gear 2|, which has 10 teeth, a double gear 22, 24. The gear 24 has 10 teeth and engages with a gear 25 which has 20 teeth and is mounted loosely upon the shaft a. The axles of the planet-wheels 26 of the differential I1, 26, 21, are disposed upon the gear l5.

Under these conditions the sun-wheel l1 makes revolutions for each revolution of the shaft (1 and the gear 25 makes:

s x-ac revolutions (122 being the number of teeth of the gear of the train with which the moving gear 2| engages).

Under these conditions the output sun-whee1 21 will make:

revolutions.

A third tumbler gear 3|, having teeth, is capable of being meshed with any of the ears of the cluster 0 having from 10 to 19 teeth. The gear 3| meshes with a gear 32 having 10 teeth and which is connected to a gear 34 having teeth.

The gear 34 engages with a gear 34! having 10 teeth and which is adapted to rotate a gear 342 having 10 teeth. The latter engages with a gear 343 having 50 teeth and connected to a gear 344 having 10 teeth. The gear 344 engages with a gear 345 having 20 teeth and connected to a gear 346 having 10 teeth. The last named gear engages with a gear 35 having 40 teeth and which is mounted loosely upon the shaft a. The axles of the planet-wheels 36 of a differential 21, 39, 31, are disposed upon the gear 35.

Under these conditions for each revolution of the shaft a the sun-wheel 21 makes revolutions and the gear 35 makes m) 10) 20)( 10 l0)( l 0) 10 10 10 50 20 40 200 revolutions (113 being the number of teeth of the gear of the train a with which the moving gear 3| engages), the output sun-wheel 31 which drives the output shaft b will make:

revolutions.

If a numerical example is taken: n1=16, n2=l2, n3=18, it is seen that the shaft b makes 6.28 revolutions for each revolution of the shaft 41.

With this apparatus, it is possible to transmit very different ratios. In fact, if the minimum values are taken of n1, m, and m, then and the total ratio will be 0.

On the contrary, if the highest values are taken for n1, m and m, that is to say, 1L1=7L2=n3=19,- the total ratio will be 9.99.

It is therefore seen that the ratios which can be transmitted with the.'three sliding gears will range between 0 and 9.99.

'Iclai'm:

1. A variable ratio transmission comprising a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a series of at least ten pinions fixed to said driving shaft, said pinions having teeth in arithmetical progression, the largest pinion of said series having a number of teeth less than nine times the number of teeth of the smallest pinion, a plurality of idling pinions each engaging successively a pinion of said first series, a plurality of differential mechanisms equal in number to said idling pinions, a constant ratio first transmission located between said first mentioned series of pinions and one of said differential mechanisms, each of the said differential mechanisms having a first element as an admission element, a second element as an outlet element, and a third element connected to and controlled by said idling pinions at variable and different rates, the first element of the first of the differential mechanisms being controlled by the first transmission at constant rate, whereas the first element of each of the other differential mechanisms is controlled by the outlet element of a differential mechanism different from the one to which it belongs, the second element of the third of the differential mechanisms driving the driven shaft, whereas each of the second elements of the other differential mechanisms drives the first element of a differential mechanism diff erent from the one to which it belongs.

2. An apparatus for the transmission of different ratios comprising a frame, a driving shaft mounted upon said frame, a driven shaft mounted upon said frame, a series of at least ten pinions fixed upon said driving shaft, said pinions having a number of teeth in arithmetical progression, the pinion of largest diameter having a number of teeth less than nine times the number of teeth of the pinion with the smallest diameter, a plurality of idling pinions each engaging successively a pinion of said series, a plurality of differential mechanisms equal in number to said idling pinions, a first transmission of constant ratio driven by said driving shaft and located between said series of pinions and one of said differential mechanisms, a second transmission of constant ratio interposed between an idling pinion, the corresponding differential mechanism, and driven by said idling pinion, a control shaft for each of said idling pinions parallel to one of the generatrices of the cone formed by said series of pinions and mounted upon said frame, each of the said differential mechanisms having a first element as an admission element, a second element as an outlet element, and a third element connected to and controlled by said idling pinions at variable and different rates, the first element of the first of the differential mechanisms being controlled by the first transmission at constant rate, whereas the first element of each of the other differential mechanisms is controlled by the outlet element of a differential mechanism different from the one to which it belongs, the second element of the third of the differential mechanisms driving the driven shaft, whereas each of the second elements of the other differential mechanisms drives the first element of a differential mechanism different from the one to which it belongs.

JEAN GUSTAVE ANTOINE MARIE JOSEPH MEYER.

(References on following page) 7 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Number 9 file of this patent: 358,421 842,413 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 336,263

Number Name Date 1,606,869 Christophel Nov. 16, 1926 1,662,688 Veber Mar. 13, 1928 2,111,996 Slye Mar. 22, 1938 2,196,806 Berck Apr. 9, 1940 10 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France May 15, 1906 France June 12, 1939 Germany May 23, 1921 

